“War! . . . the lucky ones were those who died early. The others came home to a life in the mines . . .” (161). A teenage girl with promise is murdered in a rural Australian mining town, where life choices are limited to but a few. Written in verse, the story unfolds in multiple voices. The cast of characters includes miners, veterans, caretakers, and peers of the deceased. They constitute witnesses, suspects, and mourners, each trapped in their own way, all victims of circumstance. 2008 CBCA Older Reader’s Award Notable Book. bef

Originally published by Allen & Unwin Australia, in 2007.